College softball 2022: Previewing the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational

Three teams that reached last year's Women's College World Series are among the 16 competing in the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational this weekend.

From Thursday through Sunday, there will be 40 games across ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Longhorn Network and ESPN+ in one of the biggest early-season tournaments in college softball.

The invitational starts with Notre Dame-Tennessee on Thursday (10 a.m. ET, ESPNU/ESPN App) and concludes with UCLA-Florida State on Sunday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App) in a battle between the 2019 and 2018 national champions.

We break down each team and let you know how and when you can watch them over the next four days.

Auburn Tigers

2021 record: 27-24 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: vs. Texas Tech (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
at Wisconsin (Friday, 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Texas (Friday, 4 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network)
vs. UCLA (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
at South Florida (Sunday, noon ET, ESPN+)

X factor: LHP Shelby Lowe. The lefty emerged as the Tigers' go-to pitcher in short order as a freshman last season, throwing 105 more innings than the next closest player on the roster. But she wasn't simply a workhorse for coach Mickey Dean. Shelby went 13-11 in 26 starts. She walked only 28 batters and posted a 1.48 ERA, becoming the first Auburn freshman pitcher ever to earn a spot on the All-SEC team.

Clemson Tigers

2021 record: 44-8 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: vs. Texas Tech (Thursday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ACCN)
vs. Tennessee (Friday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Northwestern (Saturday, 11 a.m. ET, ACCN)
vs. Wisconsin (Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Washington (Sunday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)

X factor: RHP/UTL Valerie Cagle. Not only did she lead the team in hits (63), RBIs (45), walks (27), homers (17), doubles (12), batting average (.404) and slugging percentage (.821) last season, but Cagle also led the ACC with a 1.16 ERA and tied for seventh nationally in saves with five. In doing so, she became the first player in league history to be named the 2021 ACC Softball Player and Freshman of the Year.

Florida State Seminoles

2021 record: 49-13-1 (eliminated in WCWS championship series)

Tournament schedule: vs. Tennessee (Thursday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Texas (Friday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Michigan (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
vs. UCF (Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. UCLA (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

X factor: 3B Sydney Sherrill. A three-time all-conference selection, Sherrill returns for her redshirt senior season as a preseason All-American and the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Already first in school history in doubles (66), she could further ascend the record books at Florida State when she begins the season ranked sixth in home runs (34), fifth in RBIs (168) and seventh in total bases (401).

LSU Tigers

2021 record: 35-22 (eliminated in NCAA super regional)

Tournament schedule: at Oklahoma State (Friday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Washington (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Notre Dame (Saturday, 10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network)
vs. Michigan (Saturday, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Texas Tech (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, SEC Network)

X factor: SS Taylor Pleasants. A breakout star in 2021, Pleasants hit .316 with 49 RBIs, 37 runs and a team-high 13 home runs, earning the SEC Newcomer of the Year award and a spot on the NFCA All-American team. But now that Aliyah Andrews and Amanda Doyle are gone, even more will be on Pleasants' shoulders this season. Already a contender for SEC Player of the Year, she is one of seven players from the conference to make the USA Softball national team.

Michigan Wolverines

2021 record: 38-8 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: at Oklahoma State (Friday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. UCF (Friday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Florida State (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
at LSU (Saturday, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: SPs Meghan Beaubien and Alex Storako. Beaubien's decision to utilize an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 means the Wolverines return one of the best and most experienced pitching duos in the country. Storako posted a 1.05 ERA and was the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2021. Beaubien wasn't far behind with a 1.24 ERA and a spot on the All-Big Ten first team. And they both have something to prove after not advancing past the NCAA regionals last season, including a bitter knockout loss to Washington when the two pitchers each threw three innings and gave up four earned runs apiece.

Northwestern Wildcats

2021 record: 30-17 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: at Texas Tech (Friday, 10:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. UCLA (Friday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
at Clemson (Saturday, 11 a.m. ET, ACC Network)
at Oklahoma State (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: LHP Danielle Williams. Expectations were sky-high for Williams after she was named the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Freshman of the Year back in 2019, so it was a stunner when her ERA ballooned from 1.55 to 3.57 as a sophomore. But last season felt like a return to normal as she went 17-7 with a 2.21 ERA, striking out 191 batters in 158.1 innings and earning All Big Ten honors.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2021 record: 33-15 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: at Tennessee (Thursday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Wisconsin (Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. South Florida (Friday, 3 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
at LSU (Saturday, 10:30 a.m., SEC Network)
at Texas (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: OF Abby Sweet. An anchor in the outfield and in the batting lineup, Sweet led the ACC in batting average (.455) and doubles (18) last season, while also being the second toughest player in the conference to strikeout (once every 15.9 at-bats). She returns for her fifth year after having not only set a school record for on-base percentage (.537), but after becoming only the 20th player in program history to earn All-American honors.

Oklahoma State Cowgirls

2021 record: 48-12 (eliminated in WCWS)

Tournament schedule: vs. Michigan (Friday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. LSU (Friday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
at South Florida (Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Washington (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Northwestern (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: LHP Kelly Maxwell. In the words of teammate Chyenne Factor, Maxwell came out as a sophomore last season and "was just mowing everybody down and it really hasn't stopped." In 116 innings pitched, Maxwell struck out 147 batters and walked only 34. Not only is she slated to become the ace of the staff in 2022, she's promising "some new tricks in the bag," which should be terrifying for opposing hitters.

South Florida Bulls

2021 record: 31-19 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: at Notre Dame (Friday, 3 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
vs. Oklahoma State (Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Auburn (Sunday, noon ET, ESPN+)
at Wisconsin (Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: P Georgina Corrick. The two-time All-American already broke the American Athletic Conference record for strikeouts during opening weekend in a 4-1 upset win over Michigan, passing the mark of 903 set by Tulsa's Emily Watson (2015-18). Corrick currently has 906 career strikeouts and needs 198 to break the school career record of 1,103 set by Sara Nevins (2011-14). Last season, she went 24-9 -- including 15 shutouts, the most in Division I.

Tennessee Lady Vols

2021 record: 42-15 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: vs. Notre Dame (Thursday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
at Florida State (Thursday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Washington (Friday, 12:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
at Clemson (Friday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at UCF (Saturday, 10:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: OF Kiki Milloy. The preseason All-SEC choice got off to a good start on opening weekend with a team-high six hits and four RBIs combined in the Felsberg Invitational at FIU. Milloy had a breakout sophomore year in 2021, with 59 hits and 50 runs scored. In addition, she had 37 steals in 40 attempts last season, the most of any player in the SEC and sixth nationally.

Texas Longhorns

2021 record: 43-14 (eliminated in NCAA super regional)

Tournament schedule: at Florida State (Friday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Auburn (Friday, 4 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network)
at UCLA (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Notre Dame (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: 2B Janae Jefferson. The fifth-year super senior and veteran leader of the Longhorns has more she wants to accomplish at Texas, especially after finishing one game away from a berth in the Women's College World Series a year ago. She's already the school's career leader in batting average and hits, and was recently selected to the 2022 USA Softball national team World Games roster.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

2021 record: 21-26

Tournament schedule: at Auburn (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
at Clemson (Thursday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
vs. Northwestern (Friday, 10:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. UCF (Friday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Washington (Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at LSU (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, SEC Network)

X factor: RF Carson Armijo. Armijo has already made an immediate impact only a few games into her Texas Tech career. After playing in only one game as a freshman at UCLA last year, Armijo transferred to her home state and delivered the game-winning hit in two games on the same day at the University of Houston Invitational, victories over Houston and UTSA.

UCF Knights

2021 record: 41-19-1 (eliminated in NCAA regional)

Tournament schedule: at Wisconsin (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
at Michigan (Friday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Texas Tech (Friday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Tennessee (Saturday, 10:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Texas (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network)
at Florida State (Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: 1B Shannon Doherty. Considering Doherty led UCF in home runs last season, it should come as no surprise that she came through on opening weekend in an upset over ranked Georgia. Doherty hit the walk-off home run that beat the Dawgs to open the CFX Classic. Last season, Doherty hit 11 home runs and hit .307, and she was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie team.

UCLA Bruins

2021 record: 47-7 (eliminated in WCWS)

Tournament schedule: at Northwestern (Friday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
at Auburn (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Texas (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
vs. Wisconsin (Sunday, noon ET, ESPN+)
at Florida State (Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

X factor: P Megan Faraimo. As the ace of the UCLA pitching staff, Faraimo posted an impressive performance in the opening Mark Campbell Invitational, going 2-0 without allowing an earned run and striking out 18. Last season, she was an NFCA All-American and made the Pac-12 first team after going 19-3 with a league-best 1.10 ERA. An injury kept her out of the WCWS, so a healthy Faraimo will look to lead the Bruins back.

Washington Huskies

2021 record: 45-14 (eliminated in NCAA super regional)

Tournament schedule: at Tennessee (Friday, 12:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
at LSU (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Texas Tech (Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Oklahoma State (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Clemson (Sunday, 10 a.m. ET, ESPNU)

X factor: P Gabbie Plain. Returning for a fifth season, Plain opened the year in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge right where she left off, going 2-0 with 17 strikeouts and no runs allowed to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. The reigning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year led the NCAA with 32 wins in 2021 and finished third in the NCAA in strikeouts (337).

Wisconsin Badgers

2021 record: 18-22

Tournament schedule: vs. UCF (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
at Notre Dame (Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
vs. Auburn (Friday, 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+)
at Clemson (Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
at UCLA (Sunday, noon ET, ESPN+)
vs. South Florida (Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

X factor: IF Kayla Konwent. Konwent could be in contention for Comeback Player of the Year this season. In 2019, she became the first softball player in school history to win Big Ten Player of the Year honors with single-season school records in six different categories, including batting average (.459), RBIs (53) and home runs (15). She stepped away from the game but ultimately decided to return for 2022, and in the opening Northern Lights Southern Nights Tournament last weekend, she tied Ellie Hubbard with a team-high five hits.